Box folding and pasting machine.



Patented July 22, i902.

R. J. CARRIER & J. W

BOX FOLDING AND PASTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Dec. 23, 1901.)

I3 Sheets-Sheet ,I.

(No Model.)

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' R. .H. BARRIER 8;. J. W. LBW.

BOX FOLDING AND PASTING MAGHHME.

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-Na.. 705,206. Patented July 22. I902. R. J. CARRIER &. J. W. LOW.

BOX FOLDING AND PASTING MACHINE.

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No. 05,206. Patented July 22, I902.

R. J. CARRIER & J. w. LOW.

BOX FOLDING AND PASTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Dec. 23, 1901.)

(No Model.) l3 Shets-8heet 4.

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R. J. CARRIER & J. W. LOW.

BOX FULDlNG AND PASTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Dec l3 Sheets Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

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llllllllll No. 705,206. Patented July 22, 1902.

R. J. CARRIER &. J. W. LOW.

'BOX FOLDING AND PASTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Due. 23, 1901.)

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H. lllll Patented July 22, I902.

R- J. CARRIER J. W. LOW. BOX FOLDING AND PASTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Dec. 23, 1901.)

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No. 705,206. Patented July 22, I902.

R. J. CARRIER & J. W. LOW.

BOX FOLDING AND PASTING MAGHlNE.

(Application filed Dec. 23, 1901.)

(No Model.) l3 Sheets-Sheet l0.

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Patented July 22, 1902!.

R. J. CARRIER 8L J. W. LOW.

BOX FOLDING AND PASTING MACHINE.

' (Application filed Dec. 23, 1901.)

I3 Sheets-Sheet II.

(No Model.)

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No. 705,206. Patented July 22, 1902!.

' R. J. CARRIER & J. W. LOW.-

BUX FOLDING AND PASTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Dec. 23. 1901.) (N0 Model.) I3 Sheets-Sheet I12.

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Pafented July 2 222222 2 Box FOLDING AND PASTING m' AAAAA E.

(No Model.) l3 Sheets-Sheet 1 3:.

UNITED Frames ATFT Prion.

ROY .I. CARRIER AND JOHN W. LOrV, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO HOWVE AND DAVIDSON COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORA- TION OF NEIV JERSEY.

BO X FOLDING AND PASTING MACHINE.

szsncrmcn'rron forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,206, dated July 22, 1902.

Application filed December 23,1901. Serial No. 86,965. (No model.)

To ail whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, ROY J. CARRIER and JOHN W. LOW, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box Folding and Pasting Machines; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and

to the letters of reference marked thereon,

which form a partof this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in box folding and pasting machines, and refers more specifically to a machine adapted to fold I5 and paste box-blanks which have been pre viously scored or creased to enable them to be readily folded on the desired lines.

The machine herein shown is also provided with a suitable counting and grouping device whereby the blanks upon leaving the machine are deposited in piles or groups each containing a certain determined number.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended c1aims,and said invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a machine embodying our improvements. Fig. 2 is a similar view thereof, on a larger scale, taken from the opposite end of the machine from that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine-frame, showing the principal parts of the driving mechanism-for giving motion to the several parts of the machine and also to the pressing and folding mechanism for folding and pressing together the pasted margins of the box-blank. Fig. 5

a cross-section on line 3" 3 of Fig. 3. Fig. 51 is a front end view of the machine. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the machine, showing thecarriers for the boxblanks. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section taken through theglue pot or box on line 6 6 ofFig. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig.

6. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 4. Figs. 9 and 10 are details of the counting mechanism, the

latter being taken on line 10 10 of Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a vertical section taken through the pressing and folding mechanism on line 11 11 of Fig. 8. Figs. 12 and 14 are similar views showing changed positions of the parts. Fig. 13 is a horizontal detail section taken on line 13 13 of Fig. 15. Fig. 15 is a transverse section of the construction shownin Fig. 14, taken in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the shaft J. Fig. 16 is a detail section taken on line 16 16 of Fig. 11; Fig. 17 is a hori- 6v zontal section taken on line 17 17 of Fig. 15. Fig. 18 is a detail vertical section taken on line 18 18 of Fig. 11. Fig. 19 is a horizontal section taken on line 19 19 of Fig. 15. Fig.

20 is a fragmentary detail plan view of the folding and pressing-chamber and some of the associated parts, the bottom wall of the chamber being broken away to show the substructure of the chamber. Fig. 21 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the bottom Wall of the receivingchamber and parts of the ejector-device-actuating mechanism. Fig. 22 is a partial top plan view of the receiving-table, upon which the blanks discharged from the folding and pressing chamber are deposited, the table being partly broken away to illustrate the subjacent support and actuating devices. Fig. 23 is an axial section of said table and of the parts beneath the same, taken on line 23 23 of Fig. 22. Fig. 24 is a partial bottom plan view of the receivingtable and parts of the actuating and supporting devices. Figs.25 and 26 are detail sections taken on lines 25 25 and 26 26 of Fig. 22. Fig. 27 is a fragmentary front view of the front part of the folding and pressing chamber, showing the dischargingrollers partially broken away and illustrating the devices for releasing the blanks from the chamberone at a time. Fig. 28 is. a vertical section taken perpendicularly through the rollers R R in Fig. 27, the section being taken close to the bar L Fig. 29 is a rear elevation of the lower end of the releasing device. Fig. 30 is a vertical section of the chamber and rollers, showing a modified construction of the chamber-walls. Fig. 31 is a vertical section taken on line 31 31 of Fig. 30. Fig. illustrates one form of blank adapted to be ing cut and scored. Fig. 33 illustrates the first step of folding the same. Fig. 34 illustrates the last step of the work of the machine.

Fig. 35 illustrates the hollow or tubular carton after the same has been folded and pasted and opened in position for folding together the flaps which form the end walls.

Before proceeding with a description of the machine herein illustrated and embodying our improvements reference will be made to the blank A, (shown in Fig. 32,) which is adapted to be operated upon by said machine and to the manner in which itis folded and pasted. Said machine is adapted to fold said blank after the same has been previously scored and cut or provided at least with two longitudinal creases a a. The first operation of the machine is to bend or fold the side portions a a upwardly along the said score-lines a at right angles to the central portions (1, a in the manner indicated inFig. 33. Previous to the folding of the blank in the manner shown in Fig. 33 and during the passage of the blank from the receiving end of themachine to the folding mechanism paste is applied to the pasteflap a at the extreme margin of the part a of the blank. After said blank has been folded in the manner shown in Fig. 33 a secondary folding mechanism is brought into action, which folds flat the portions a a of the blank in the manner shown in Fig. 34, the section a being folded first and the other section folded thereover. The folded and pasted blanks are subjected to pressure in order to insure the adherence of the pasted parts and thereafter are discharged from the machine upon a receiving-table. The scores and cuts (shown in Fig. 32 of the drawings) for properly forming the end walls of the box are not effected by the operation of the machine herein and will be made to correspond with the particular style of box to be made.

The completed machine herein shown as embodying our improvements comprises the following general mechanisms, to wit: feed mechanism for engaging the blank and carrying it through the machine, mechanism which is operated during the transit of the blank through the machine for applying paste to the paste-flap of the blank, mechanism for folding or bending the side portions of the blank in positions at right angles to the central portion thereof, mechanism for folding downwardly the side portions of the blank upon the central portion thereof, mechanism for pressing the margin of the uppermost side portion into contact with the paste-coated portion of the underlying one, mechanism for discharging the folded blanks from the folding mechanism, and mechanism which receives the blanks after they have been discharged from the folding mechanism. As a further improvement the receiving mechanism is constructed to automatically group the completed blanks into piles or bundles, each of which contains a predetermined numscribed.

ber. Said machine is made adjustable for the blanks of difierent sizes and for blanks scored at different distances'apart, so as to form packages having relatively wider or narrower sides.

As shown in the drawings, the main frame of the machine consists of two generally symmetrical side portions B B, connected by up per and lower transverse connecting members B B. Said frame is provided at its rear end with an overhanging portion B which forms a support for parts of the feedin convenient position to be fed to the machine, and the frame is provided at its front end near its bottom with a forwardly-projecting frame B which affords asupport for the receiving-table, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

0 designates the main driving-shaft of the machine, which is mounted in two upright standards or columns B B rising from the front end of the machine-frame, and G a driving-pulley thereon. Said driving-wheel, as herein shown, is adapted to be locked to the shaft by a clutch device G which is actuated by an oscillatory lever 0 pivoted to a stud Z), attached to the side of the machineframe in the manner shown in Fig. 2. To the rear or free end of the lever is attached an actuating-rod O, which extends transversely through the machine in easy access to the person feeding blanks to the machine.

D designates a counter-shaft mounted in the standards B above and parallel withthe driving-shaft. Said counter-shaft D is provided with a'gear-wheel D, which meshes with a gear-pinion C on the driving-shaft C.

Attached to the end of said counter-shaft D is a crank-disk D and said disk is connected by a pitman D with the stem D of a presser or plunger D forming part of the pressing mechanism hereinafter to be de- Said stem D reciprocates between suitable guides b, which project upwardly from a horizontal transverse beam 13, located transversely over the front ,end of the frame and which supports the innermost standard 13. The main driving-shaft is provided with a hand-wheel C, by which the machine may be manually operated to bring the parts thereof into desired relative positions.

E designates an inclined feed-board located at the rear end of the machine and supported on the extension B of the frame and from which the blanks pass to the feeding mechanism of the machine.

E designates a horizontal shaft mounted transversely in the rear end of the frame of the machine, and said shaft carries a plurality of feed-disks E which project upwardly through openings in the feed-boardE for the purpose of carrying the blanks forwardly to the feeding mechanism to be described. Said transverse feed-shaft E is provided at one side of the frame with a sprocket-wheel 2,

Figs. 2 and 3, which latter is rotated through mg mechanism and for the unfolded blanks.

the medium of asprocket chain belt 6, trained over said sprocket-wheel, and a sprocketwheel f, affixed to ahorizontal shaft F, mounted transversely in the machine-frame in front of said shaft E. Said shaft F is provided with a second sprocket-wheel f outside of the sprocket-wheel f, which latter is given rotation through the medium of a chain belt f trained about the sprocket-wheel f, and a sprocket-wheel c on the driving-shaft 0.

Next describing the feeding mechanism by which the blanks are advanced through the machine, these parts are made as follows:

G G, Figs. 2, 3, and 5, designate two horizontal parallel rotative shafts, one in front of the other, which are mounted in bearings b rising from the side members of the frame B of the machine. Said shafts are provided near their ends inside of the side members of the machineframe with pulleys g,about which are trained narrow endless belts or tapes G. The transverse counter-shaft F is located vertically below the forward shaft G, and located below the rearmost transverse shaft G is a transverse rotative shaft F. Said shafts F F are provided near their ends, inside of the side members of the frame, with pulleys f which are located vertically below the pulleys g.

f f designate pulleys affixed to a shaft F mounted transversely in the frame at the front end thereof.

F F designate belts which are trained around the pulleys f f f The upper laps of said belt F come in contact with the lower laps of the belt G throughout the lengths of the latter. The blanks are delivered from the inclined feed-board E between the rearmost pulleys g and f" and from thence between tapes or belts G and are advanced positively by contact of said tape with the upper and lower surfaces of the margins of said blanks until they pass between the fore most pulleys g and f The upper laps of the belts F continue forwardly of the foremost pulleys g f to the pulleys f and carry the blanks to and deliver the same over the folding and pressing devices, as will hereinafter more fully appear. Between the foremost pulleys f 3 and the pulleys f the lower laps of the belts are trained over guide-pulleys f f on the inner sides of the side members of the machine, as shown in Fig. 5, the purpose of said pulleys being to deflect said lowerlaps of the belts out of the way of the folding and pressing devices, as will hereinafter more fully appear. The bearing-blocks b in which the ends of the shaft G are rotatively mounted, have spring-pressed engagement with the bearing-standards b in the manner shown in Fig. 2, whereby the upper pulleys g engage with a yielding pressure the lower pulleys f and the carrier belts or tapes are held in proper coactive relation. The pulleys f are mounted on a fixed shaft F, extending transversely across the machine-frame, as clearly shown in Fig. 3,while the pulleys f are mounted on short shafts F projecting outwardly from the walls of the chamber which constitutes a part of the folding and pressing mechanism, as will hereinafter more fully appear. The carrier belts or tapes are given motion through the medium of a gear-wheel E on the end of the shaft E outside of the machineframe, an idle gear-wheel E meshing therewith, and a gear-wheel G on the adjacent end of the rearmost shaft G, as shown in Fig. 3.

H H, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, designate horizontal parallel guide-bars which are located one outside of each pair of the carrying belts or tapes G F, said bars extending from just behind the rearmost shaft G forwardly to the forward parts of the folding and pressing mechanism. Said bars are adapted to engage the margins of the blank to properly guide the same in transit through the machine. The bars are supported at their rear ends upon a shaft H, extending transversely across the machineframe, and the forward ends thereof are supported on a shaft H extending transversely across the machine-frame parallel with the shaft H. Said guide-bars are laterally adjustable to provide for blanksv of varying widths, being for this purpose provided with sleeves 72 h", which are slipped over and are adapted to be clamped upon the shafts H H The forward shaft I-I serves also as a support for the side walls of the folding and pressing chamber, as will hereinafter more fully appear. The blanks are supported at their intermediate portions on a horizontal bar H Fig. 3, which is located with its upper edge in the same plane as the upper laps of the lower carrying belts or tapes Said guidebars are provided on their inner faces in front of the upper belt-carriers G with downwardlyfacing shoulders adapted to bear against the upper faces of the margins of the blank and prevent the same from rising and the blank from shifting after passing beyond the upper carrier-belt G. As herein shown, said down wardly-facing shoulders are formed by rods b Figs. 3 and 3, which are attached to said bars by means of clamps 72 adapted to be detachably affixed to the bars in the manner shown in said Fig. 3.

The feeding mechanism is so arranged that the blanks are fed one at a time between the carrying-belts G F and are fed one at a time to and separately operated upon by the folding and pressing mechanism. Whilea blank is being operated upon by the folding and pressing mechanism, the blank next to be folded is held in the space between the front and rear pairs of pulleys g and f stop devices being arranged at the front and rear of said space to prevent another blank being fed into said space until the one occupying the space has been discharged therefrom and to hold therein the blank occupying said space while the folding and pressing devices are operating upona blank which has previously passed therethrongh to the folding and pressing mechanism. Said space between the forward and rearmost pairs of shafts F G and ICC F G may be termed an intermediate forwarding-space, in which the blanks are intermittingly and temporarily arrested or withheld while ablank is being operated upon by the folding and pressing mechanism. The stops for thus keeping the blanks separated in their passage through the machine consist of horizontal vertically-disposed stopplatesII, Figs. 2, 3, and 5, which are attached to the rear and front ends, respectively, of oscillatory arms I 1 Fig. 5, the former affixed to a rock-shaft 1 extending transversely through the machine just in front of the rearmost shafts G F, and the latter attached at its rear end to a rock-shaft I parallel with and in front of the rock-shaft I. The rear stop-plate I is adapted to project upwardly above the lower end of the feed-board E or between the same and the intermediate forwarding-space and when in this position acts to prevent a blank passing from said board between the feed belts or tapes, and the forward stop -plate is adapted to project upwardly between said intermediate forwarding-space and the folding and pressing mechanism and acts to prevent the blank from passing out of said forwarding-space to the folding and pressing mechanism while said stopplate is raised. The foremost stop-plate I is centrally slitted to receive the guide strip or bar 1-1 when the stop-plate is elevated. Means are providedwhich operate in unison with the folding devices for simultaneously raising the stop-plates I I. Said actuating means are shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 5 and are made as follows:

I designates a vertically-oscillatory lever located just inside of one side member of the machine, which is pivoted between its ends on a short stub-shaft 1, extending inwardly from said adjacent side members of the machine. Said lever is pivoted at its rear end to an upwardly-extending link i, which latter is pivoted at its upper end to short arms '11" i rigid with the arms I 1 Figs. 3 and 5. The forward end of said oscillatory lever I is pivoted to the upper end of a vertically-reciprocatory bar 1 which bar is provided on its inner face with a bearing-stud '6 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5,) which engages a cam-groove t formed in the side face of a rotative cam I", which is affixed on a horizontal rotative shaft J, extending transversely through the machine-frame, near the forward end thereof. Said shaft J is rotated from the main driving-shaft through the medium of a sprocket-belt 0 Fig. 4, trained about a sprocket-wheel c on said main driving-shaft and a sprocket-wheel J on said shaft J. The lower end of the cam-bar 1 is bifurcated, and the armsthereof extend on either side of the shaft J and constitute guides to hold said bar in proper vertical relation to said shaft and the cam-disk 1 When the cam-stud t of said cam-bar engages the concentric portion of the cam-groove t the mechanism described acts to throw the stop-plates I I upwardly above the level of the path of the blanks through the machine and acts,

therefore, to arrest the movement of said blanks in the manner described, and shown in Fig. 2, and when said cam-stud engages the eccentric portion of said groove the stopplates are thrown downwardly in the manner shown in Fig. 5 to permit the blanks to advance through the machine. It will be understood that as the machine herein shown is organized the carrier-belts travel continuously, so that when the blanks are arrested by the stop-plates the belts slip on the blanks and when the stop-plates are lowered the blanks are immediately moved forward. As before stated, said belts and stop-plates constitute intermittent forwarding devices, and so far as the scope of the invention is concerned the structural details of said devices may be considerably varied. It will also be observed that the stopping of said blanks by the plates I I, the carrier-belts moving continuously, serves to square or straighten the blanks with respect to their path in case the same should become shifted or twisted.

The pasting mechanism is so located as to apply paste to the under side of the pastingfiap c of the blank at the time the blank is being advanced between the forward pairs of pulleys g f Said pasting mechanism, as herein shown, is made as follows:

K, Figs. 3, 6, and 7, designates an opentopped paste-box, which is located at one side of the machine-frame adjacent to the foremost pairs of pulleys gf and supported by means of brackets 7.6 from a horizontal bar K, extending longitudinally of the frame, parallel with the side members thereof, and supported on the shaft H at the rear end thereof and on the shaft F at its forward end.

K designates a rotative paste-applying disk which is affixed to the foremost shaft F and dips into the paste-box K, which latter is adapted to be partially filled with paste. Said paste-applying disk K is made of the same diameter as the adjacent pulley f and is located outside of said pulley, so as to engage the under face of the pasting-flap (1 The margin of said paste-applying disk is tapered or beveled in the manner shown, so as to apply a thin line of paste to said pasteflap, and being made of the same diameter as the adjacent pulleyf has a rolling contact with said flap.

K designates a scraping device consisting of a plate extending across and attached to the upper margins of said paste-box and pro vided with arms 70 it, which extend on either side of the paste-applying disk and serve to prevent an accu mulation of paste on the sides of said disk. The forward margin of said plate K between said arms is located closely adjacent to the periphery of the disk, so as to prevent undue accumulation of paste on said periphery. Said plate K has slotted connection with the glue-box, as shown in Fig. 7, thereby permitting the plate to be moved toward and from the disk, so as to regulate the supply or charge of paste carried by the disk to the blank. It will be noted that said paste pot or box is located in such relation to the foremost pulleys f g of the carrying mechanism that the paste-wheel applies paste to the blank just as it is passing between the wheels f g. This is a feature of considerable practical importance, for the reason that the blank is stiffened by the pressure of the pulleys and is sufficiently rigid to prevent the blank buckling or being moved out of contact with the paste-disk. The bar K, to which the paste box or pot is attached, is movable laterally of the machine, being for this purpose provided with sleeves which are slipped over and slide on the supporting-shafts II F. In this manner we are enabled to adjust the paste box or pot to varying widths of blanks by shifting the bar inwardly or outwardly, as the case may be. Said bar is also connected with the pulleysf and g and the guide-pulleys f so that said pulleys and the paste-box maybe simultaneously adjusted. The pulleys f g, and f at the other side of the machine are likewise adjusted by means of an attached bar K, like the bar K, and affixed to the shafts H F by means of adjusting-sleeves k Next referring to the folding mechanism, whereby the side parts a a of the blank are first folded upwardly in the manner shown in Fig. 32 and are afterward folded inwardly upon each other in the manner shown in Fig. 33, and to the mechanism for pressing the pasted parts one upon the other, said mechanisms are shown in Figs. 3, 4L, and 11 to 21, inclusive, and are made as follows: The blank after leaving the foremost pairs of pulleys g f and receiving a supply of paste is delivered by the carrier belt or tape F over the open top of a chamber or box consisting, essentially, of side walls L L, Figs. 3, 11, 12, 14, and 15, herein shown as made of cast metal, two vertical bars L L Figs. L and 8, which extend vertically across the front of the boX and are attached at their upper ends to a stop-bar L which latter limits the forward movement of the blank over said chamber, said blanks being carried forwardly by the belts or tapes F until the forward margins thereof strike the stop-bar L Said stopbar L is attached to the upper front trans Verse member B of the frame of the machine by means of thun1b-screws which pass through slotted forwardlyextending arms Z formed on or attached to said stop-arm or plate,.in the manner shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 8. In this manner the stop-bar and the vertical end bars of the chamber may be shifted rear wardly or forwardly, and thereby adapt the chamber to longer or shorter blanks, as desired. The side plates L of said chamber are supported on transverse rods L L and the rod H hereinbefore referred to, the former rod L extending transversely between the side members of the frame and passing through apertured projections on the forward margins of said plates and the latter rods L H located one vertically over the other, eX- tencling also between the said side members of the frame and passing through projections formed on the rear margins of said plates. The chamber is adjustable as to width, the side members or plates L thereof being for this purpose movable toward and away from each other. As a means for effecting this result the supporting-rods L, L and H are rotative and are provided with right. and left hand screw threads, which engage screwthreaded openings in the projections on the margins of said plates L. Desirably the rods are so connected as to be simultaneously rotated to effect such lateral adjustment of the walls of the chamber. For this purpose the adjacent ends of said rods at one side of the machine are provided with sprocket-wheels Z, as shown in Fig. 1, which gear-wheels are connected by a sprocket-belt l, and the opposite end of one of the shafts (the shaft H as herein shown) is extended past the side of the machine-frame and is adapted for attachment thereto of a manually-movable member, such as the crank 1 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The bottom of said chamber consists of a horizontal plate L, which is supported at its front and rear ends upon transverse bars L L Figs. 8 and 20, which transverse bars are adapted to be fastened at their ends in any suitable manner to the side members of the machineframe.

In the operation of the machine the chamber is filled with folded blanks to a given level, and as the blanks are delivered to the top of the chamber and folded a folded and pasted blank is discharged from the bottom of said chamber, as will hereinafter more fully appear. The side walls of the chamber are so arranged and adjusted with respect to the score-lines CL of the blank that said score-lines when the blank is delivered over the chamber by the carrier belts or tapes F are in line with the inner surfaces of the side plates of the chamber, the guide-bars H being depended upon to hold the blanks properly in place.

In case the blank should become shifted or out of proper alinement when it arrives over the folding-chamber a gage 7? is provided, which is located at one side of said chamber adjacent to one of the guide-bars and is adapted to contact with the forward edge of the paste-flap of the blank as the latter is delivered over the chamber, and thereby straighten said blank. Said gage is attached to a horizontal bar it, which has slotted connection with the adjacent adjusting-bar Z of the stop-barLias shownin Fig. 3. Said slotted connection enables the gage to be adjusted toward and from the chamber to suit different widths of blanks,-and said gage is adjusted from front to rear of the machine when the stop-bar L is adjusted. When a blank has been delivered to a position over the chamber in the manner described, the plunger D is depressed and presses the intermediate portion of the blank into the chamber upon the subjacent bundle of blanks contained in said chamber and breaks or folds the blank along the score-lines Ct, at the same time folding the side parts of the sections thereof upwardly at right angles to the intermediate sections or parallel with said side plates of the chamber. The plunger D is thereafter-lifted out of the chamber, and in order to prevent the folded blank rising from the chamber with the plunger the inner faces of the side walls of said chamber are provided with a plurality of retaining-strips Z Fig. 8, which are attached at their upper ends to said side walls and the lower or free ends of which are desirably serrated and extend when free or unconfined obliquely inwardly toward the center of the chamber: With this construction when the plunger is withdrawn from the chamber the tendency of the plunger to withdraw the blank from said chamber by frictional contact with said plunger is counteracted by the strips Z engaging the outer surfaces of the upturned side portions of said blank.

After the blank has been folded in the manner described, and shown in Fig. 33, and the plunger withdrawn the side portions a a of said blank are thereafter folded together,with the margin of the part a overlying the pastecoated flap a The mechanism for effecting the secondary folding operation is made as follows:

M M designate a plurality of fingers, which are adapted to be projected through openings in the side plates of the folding and pressing chamber, near the upper margins thereof.

Three fingers are shown at each side of the chamber. Said fingers are affixed at their outer ends to short horizontal rock-shafts M, which are journaled in horizontally-movable bearing-blocks M (shown more clearly in Figs. 16 and 17,) and said blocks have sliding engagement with laterally and oppositely extending brackets M (shown also in Figs. 11, 12, and 14,) attached to the outer sides of the plates L, whereby said fingers may be moved bodily toward and away from said chamber, as well as being capable of a vertically-swinging movement. Said brackets are provided with horizontal slots m, through which the shafts M extend. Theintermediate finger of each set is located between the arms of the brackets M and the outer fingers are located at the sides of said brackets. Said fingers are adapted to be retracted from the folding and pressing chamber at the time a blank is delivered over said chamber and just prior to the descent of the plunger D there by clearing said chamber for the reception of the blank and plunger. This position of the fingers is shown in Fig. 12. As the plunger is retracted the inner ends of the fingers are swung upwardly into the positions shown in Fig. 14, and when said plunger has been fully retracted the said fingers are shifted bodily inwardly, and at the same time the inner ends thereof are swung downwardly into the positions shown in Fig. 11, and during this inward and downward movement of the fingers said fingers engage the upwardly-folded side portions of the blank and fold the same downwardly in the manner shown in Fig. 34. The mechanism is so timed that the set of fingcrs at one side of the chamber engage the upturned side section of the blank on which the paste-flap is formed a short time prior to the engagement of the other side section by the other set of fingers, whereby the pasteflap section is turned under the opposite sec tion of the blank. WVhile the side portions of the carton are being folded downwardly in the manner last described another blank is delivered upon the top of the chamber to be pressed into said chamber in the next descent of the plunger, said fingers M being with drawn into the positions shown in Fig. 12 just prior to the next descent of the plunger. As the blanks are pressed into the chamber in the manner described the lowermost of the blanks is discharged from the chamber in a manner hereinafter to be described, so that a certain n umber of blanks remains constantly in the chamber. Moreover, each of said blanks after being folded in the manner shown in Fig. 34 is repeatedly subjected to the pressure of the plunger in its successive descents until said blank is discharged from the chamber, thereby insuring the adherence of the pasted parts of the blanks. The mechanism for effecting the various movements of the folding-fingers described is shown in Figs. 11 to 19 and is made as follows:

N N designate two rotative cams, which are affixed to and rotate with the shaft J, said ca'ms being located outside of the folding and pressing chamber, one on each side thereof.

Said cams are provided on their peripheries with cam-grooves n and on their inner or adjacent faces with other cam-grooves 01 the latter being shown in Fig. 16. Actuating devices are provided which have parts cooperating with said cam-grooves in the cams N for giving bodily and swinging motion to said fingers in the manner before set forth. Said actuating devices are made as follows:

0 O designate vertically-disposed actuating-rods for said folding-fingers, which are operated by the cams N. Said rods are pivoted at their upper ends to rigid outwardlyextending arms m, affixed to the rock-shafts M, as shown in Fig. 17, and extend at their lower ends through apertured projections o in horizontally oscillatory cam-levers O, located one above each of the cams N, outside of the adjacent side plate L of the folding and pressing chamber. The actuating-rods are pivoted at their lower ends, as will hereinafter more fully appear, in such manner that their upper ends may swing toward and away from the sides of the pressing-chamber, and thereby'bodily move said fingers toward and away from the chamber. Each of said cam-levers is pivoted at one end to a laterally-directed arm or bracket Z attached to the lower side and at the rear part of the ad jacent plate L, as clearly shown in Figs. 15 and 19, and slides, at its other end between upper andlower guide-arms Z, attached to the opposite side of said plate L. Said horizontal cam-levers O are provided between their ends with downwardly-projecting cam-studs Figs. 11, 12, and 14:,which are adapted for engagement with the peripheral cam-groovesn of the cams N. Said actuating-rods O are bifurcated at their lower ends, the arms 0 0 thereof passing on opposite sides of the shaftJ in the mannershownin Fig. 15. Said arms 0 of the actuating-rods O are pivoted at their lower ends to horizontal brackets 0 which are rigidly affixed to the lower ends of parallel bars 0 0 which latter extend upwardly inside the cams N and constitute that part of the actuating mechanism for the fingers which cooperates with the inner camgrooves 01 for vertically swinging or vibrating said fingers in the manner described. Said parallel rods 0 are connected near their upper ends by transverse bars 0 Figs. 16 and 18, and said bars are provided with outwardly-projecting caurstuds 0 which have engagement with the in\vardlyfacing camgrooves n of the adjacent cams N. Said rods 0 have sliding engagement at their upper ends with guide-lugs 0 projecting inwardly from the adjacent side plates of the folding and pressing chamber, as shown in Fig. 18. Vith this construction the camlevers O are vibrated inwardly and outwardly by operation of the cam-studs o in the grooves 11. of the cams N, and this move ment is imparted to the actuating-rods and therethrough to the fingers M to move the same bodily inwardly and outwardly and thrust the same into and retract them from the chamber, and said actuating-rods O are given vertically reciprocatory motion from the inner cam-grooves through the bars 0 and the bracket 0 and act to swing said fingers on their axes. When the cam-studs o" oocupy the inwardly-deflected parts of the camgrooves a, the rods 0 are swunginwardly to thrust the fingers into the folding and press chamber, and said cams are notched or cut away on their peripheries, as shown in Figs.

11, 12, and let, to permit said rods to swinginwardly. WVhen said cam-studs occupy the straight portions of said grooves, the actuating-rods O are swung outwardly to retract the folding-fingers, as shown in Figs. 12 and 14. Furthermore, when the cam-studs o occupy the concentric portions of the cam-grooves n the finger-actuating mechanism is shifted upwardly and acts to swing the inner ends of the fingers downwardly, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, and when occupying the eccentric parts of said cam -grooves said actuating mechanism is shifted downwardly to swing the inner ends of the fingers upwardly, as shown in Fig. let.

The cams and the finger-actuating mechanism cooperating therewith are arranged in two like sets, one being a duplicate of the other, and each set is supported on one of the side plates of the folding and press chamber. As provision has been made for moving said side walls toward and away from each other to vary the width of the press-chamber, it is also necessary that said movement shall carry with said plates the cams and finger-actuating mechanism described. For this purpose the plates are provided inside the cams N with downwardly-extending parts L which are apertured for the passage of the shaft J, as shown in Figs. 11, 12, 14, and 18. The cams are provided with inwardly-projecting hubs n, which extend through the apertures in said extensions of the plates L around the shaft J. Said hubs are provided outside of said extensions with shoulders 71 against which the extensions L bear, as shown in Fig. 13, and are provided on the inside of said extensions with collars n, attached to said hubs by set-screws or like means, said extensions of the plates being thus locked between said collars and the shoulders of the hubs, thereby serving to connect the cams with said plates in such manner that the cams and fingers actuating mechanism. move with the plates. The outer faces of the said extensions L are provided with flanges Z as indicated in Fig. 18, and the lower ends of said flanges are cut awayto permit the parallel rods 0 of the finger-actuating mechanism to pass upwardly between the extensions and the cams.

As before stated, when the machine is in operation the folding and press chamber is adapted to be filled with blanks, said blanks receiving the pressure of the plunger each time the latter descends. In each operation of the machine the'bottom blank of the series in the chamber is removed or ejected from said chamber, a new blank being added to the top of said pile or series in each operation, so that after the chamber has been once filled the number of blanks in the chamber remain the same.

The mechanism for removing or ejecting the lower blank from the chamber in each operation of the machine is made as follows: P designates a pusher-plate, which extends transversely across the bottom plate L of the press-chamber and projects above said hot- IIO tom plate. Said pusher-plate is connected through slots Z in said bottom plate, Fig. 20,

with guide-bars L ,which extend transversely between the supporting members L L of the bottom of said chamber. sliding engagement at their forward ends with inwardly-extending grooved lugs L projecting rearwardly from said transverse member L in the manner shown in Figs. 8, 20, and 21, and the rear ends of said bars engage upwardly-opening grooves in the rear cross members L as shown in Fig. 20. In Fig. 20 the pusher-plate is shown in its forwardmost po- Said bars L have 

